Since I've started my internship in the sticks, 75% of the time - I am without internet or cable. So with a hell of a lot of time on my hands, I created this little photo-video blog. Enjoy!
Monday, July 20, 2009
Sunday, May 31, 2009
An Attitude of Gratitude
“I just thank God first for everything. Sometimes I pray when I really feel I need God to help me with something. God is my homeboy. Jesus is my homeboy.” – Queen Latifah
Most of us were raised, to say “thank you” when someone gave us something. Besides being good manners, it has a spiritual connotation. Gratitude can transform an overwhelming storm of disappointments, delays, interruptions, losses, and conflicts into a calm sky of possibility and serenity. Gratitude can make all things right. Gratitude is a key of wisdom into the mysteries of the past, a beacon of understanding into the confusion of the present, a perfect map for the trip into the future. Gratitude will make us be thankful for all of our blessings. When we ask why should we be grateful, just look around at all the good things our lives contain and know that any of the terrible roadblocks cannot block your goals when you are grateful.
Monday, March 16, 2009
D.C. HIV/AIDS & The Black Population
Good Afternoon - I come to bring you news that some of you already knew, but just needed confirmation: D.C. HIV/AIDS rates is higher than some countries in West Africa. I repeat -- the HIV/AIDS rate in D.C. is up to par with countries like Kenya and Uganda.
So what does that mean? It means that 2,984 residents per every 100,000 over the age of 12 -- or 15,120 -- according to the 2008 epidemiology report by the District's HIV/AIDS office are infected.
I'm in the process of reading a book by Harriett Washington, entitled "Medical Apartheid:The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present" which addresses a wide range variety of gruesome tales regarding the treatment of blacks in various medical experiments. In the 1980s, for instance, virtually no African Americans were used in trials of the HIV inhibitor AZT. When the drug came into widespread use in 1991, the Food and Drug Administration had scant research on blacks and erroneously reported that it was not effective for black patients. If more blacks had been included in the original studies, Washington wonders, "would the number of HIV-infected African Americans be lower today?"
There is a belief within the African-American, that AIDS, like Crack-Cocaine, was intentionally distributed to destroy the community, and considering the forced sterilization of black women (what civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hammer plaintively called her “Mississippi appendectomy”), and the "Tuskegee Experiment" -- the urban myth is not hard to believe.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it is completely our government's fault that the HIV/AIDS rates are increasing -- but I do believe that there needs to be some accountability on their part -- especially in D.C. because before the new director came into office, the city government in D.C. placed little emphasis on the need for research and treatment.
When it boils down to individuals, it pisses me off that people do NOT wear condoms. It is 2009 -- they have condoms to meet everyone's needs, from latex-free, ribbed, thin, flavored, etc. etc., so you have NO excuse as to why you do NOT wrap it up! The report found that the highest transmission between men to men and I don't know if there is a perception that if you have anal sex you can't get infected -- but I would have to assume that's the case because many heterosexual individuals believe that as well. Now the limitation to the study is that it does not address or "classify" those married men who label themselves as "heterosexual" but are having sex outside of marriage with other men. So now you are faced with an increased rate of women getting infected by their husbands. We cannot continuously blame the white man for our ignorant behavior and lifestyle choices.
What can we do?
First - Get tested and know your status. I don't care if you're married, only had sex with that one person for years -- I don't give a shit -- get TESTED people and know your status. I'm negative, what are you?
Second - Use protection EVERY single time. I have had to cuss out so many men that I was dealing with because they wanted to raw-dog -- um hell naw. "I mean, you the only girl I'm dealing with" -- ladies and gentlemen if you ever meet anyone who wants you to take chances with your life, run like hell. I don't care how long you two have been dating -- safe sex is always the best sex. Not only are you protecting yourself from diseases, you are helping to decrease your chances of getting that "I'm late" text.
Third - Educate! Remember those little NBC commercials ... "the more you know"? Well I'm an advocate of educating the masses and share knowledge, so hopefully you've learned something new.
So what does that mean? It means that 2,984 residents per every 100,000 over the age of 12 -- or 15,120 -- according to the 2008 epidemiology report by the District's HIV/AIDS office are infected.
I'm in the process of reading a book by Harriett Washington, entitled "Medical Apartheid:The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present" which addresses a wide range variety of gruesome tales regarding the treatment of blacks in various medical experiments. In the 1980s, for instance, virtually no African Americans were used in trials of the HIV inhibitor AZT. When the drug came into widespread use in 1991, the Food and Drug Administration had scant research on blacks and erroneously reported that it was not effective for black patients. If more blacks had been included in the original studies, Washington wonders, "would the number of HIV-infected African Americans be lower today?"
There is a belief within the African-American, that AIDS, like Crack-Cocaine, was intentionally distributed to destroy the community, and considering the forced sterilization of black women (what civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hammer plaintively called her “Mississippi appendectomy”), and the "Tuskegee Experiment" -- the urban myth is not hard to believe.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that it is completely our government's fault that the HIV/AIDS rates are increasing -- but I do believe that there needs to be some accountability on their part -- especially in D.C. because before the new director came into office, the city government in D.C. placed little emphasis on the need for research and treatment.
When it boils down to individuals, it pisses me off that people do NOT wear condoms. It is 2009 -- they have condoms to meet everyone's needs, from latex-free, ribbed, thin, flavored, etc. etc., so you have NO excuse as to why you do NOT wrap it up! The report found that the highest transmission between men to men and I don't know if there is a perception that if you have anal sex you can't get infected -- but I would have to assume that's the case because many heterosexual individuals believe that as well. Now the limitation to the study is that it does not address or "classify" those married men who label themselves as "heterosexual" but are having sex outside of marriage with other men. So now you are faced with an increased rate of women getting infected by their husbands. We cannot continuously blame the white man for our ignorant behavior and lifestyle choices.
What can we do?
First - Get tested and know your status. I don't care if you're married, only had sex with that one person for years -- I don't give a shit -- get TESTED people and know your status. I'm negative, what are you?
Second - Use protection EVERY single time. I have had to cuss out so many men that I was dealing with because they wanted to raw-dog -- um hell naw. "I mean, you the only girl I'm dealing with" -- ladies and gentlemen if you ever meet anyone who wants you to take chances with your life, run like hell. I don't care how long you two have been dating -- safe sex is always the best sex. Not only are you protecting yourself from diseases, you are helping to decrease your chances of getting that "I'm late" text.
Third - Educate! Remember those little NBC commercials ... "the more you know"? Well I'm an advocate of educating the masses and share knowledge, so hopefully you've learned something new.
I Love Being Black...
I was cleaning out some my listings on You Tube -- and I came across my FAVORITE clip. Check it out:
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